Fate of Heart
by Glacial-Heart-of-Ice
Summary: Toshiro and Matsumoto are sent to protect Karin from a planned attack or kidnapping.But during one of their encounters Toshiro sacrifices himself to save Karin.Can Karin save the young captain or will it be to late.Will they admit their feelings they hide
1. falling to the heavens

here's one of my first bleach stories i hope you enjoy it.

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_Falling to the heavens_

How long had it been sense she'd last seen him standing there. Watching the sun fall behind the horizon, hidden until night was defeated once more. She still didn't understand why she always came there only to find emptiness.

'Three months' She thought as she dribbled the ball in front of her.'Or has it been longer'

She lifted her gaze up to the oil painted sky. Her eyes scanned across the reds and oranges, the yellow and pinks that all mixed together in the canvas of the sky. Why did she come here everyday only to be let down time after time. She knew it in her heart she'd never see the boy again , yet she still came. Hoping he would be there,just standing there watching the sun and messing with his phone. She closed her eyes and remembered the day she met him. She'd lost her temper and kicked the ball at the back of the boy's head only for him to kick it back ten times harder right into one of her teammates' face.

The autumn wind blew through the air breaking leaves loose from the trees as they swirled and fell around the raven-haired girl. The colors almost creating an illusion as she walked through them, leaving the memories behind her if only until the next day.

* * *

Things hadn't been quite the same in the tenth division since the fights with the espada and arrancar.Captain Hitsugaya continued to do fifth division's paperwork but trained more often as to get stronger fro the next time he fought another arrancar hopefully one of the espada, the elite. The mornings started out as usual he would begin on the paperwork as his assistant captain slept and continued to say that the office was her room when she woke up. He could understand it though, ever since Gin, Aizen, and Tosen's betrayal things had changed drastically in Seireitei.

He could remember it only to clearly, but how could he forget he was a captain he couldn't afford to forget the events of what happened. He sighed as he took another sip of his tea and continued on with his work. He picked up one of the files and opened it. Inside was the description of what had happened in the human world only months in the past. He read it contents and remembered the events as they played through his head.

"Taichou why are you in my room"Matsumoto asked. She was clearly half awake and probably somewhat drunk from saki.

"Your in the office Matsumoto"Toshiro stated.

Matsumoto looked around and replied. "Ehh, sorry taichou"

Before Toshiro could say anything more a black and purple butterfly flew into the room and landed before Hitsugaya. "Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya and Assistant Captain rangiku Matsumoto please report to first division we have a mission for you to complete."

"hai"Both stated as they left the office and headed toward the first division to where captain yamamoto would brief them on their mission. Not knowing if it was urgent or not both used shunpo to run across the buildings to get to the division quicker.Both had a strong feeling this was important something they could not fail on. they hadn't failed yet. Had they?

The guards at the first division gate glanced at the two and allowed them to pass into the walls of first. The building they were headed to only lay mere feet away now as the two walked calmly into its walls. the office was similar to tenths only Yamamoto sat behind the desk.

"You asked for us yamamoto taichou" Toshiro stated. The elder man nodded and gestured for the two to sit down. Both tenth division shinigami sat down in front of the elder and listened intently.

"As you both very well know Aizen has made another move by kidnapping Inoue Orihime but I believe he will make another move and go after another."The elder spoke. Both averted their gaze for a moment as they remembered the girl that had saved them once before. "I believe he will go after Kurasaki Ichigo's younger sibling Karin. While we've surveyed the real world for hollows we've noticed the girl's spiritual pressure gradually gaining strength. She may prove to be a potential target while her brother is gone. I want you two to protect the girl so she may not be used as a weapon against us"

'Karin' Hitsugaya thought as he remembered the girl. he brown eyes and raven colored hair.

* * *

Two more days had passed in Karakura town and things still had yet to change. Hollows would still attack and someone would take care of them, by splitting their mask into pieces. The autumn grew colder as more leaves fell like a colored blizzard ,but she continued to go to that one spot. It was her part of her routine now , but she still wondered why she came. She knew what she'd find but she still came.

She climbed up on top of the railing that bordered the walk way and balanced on it as she bounced her soccer ball up and down. Head, foot, knee and so on. She stopped for a moment as that same feeling came once more. She knew what it was and the dangers it held, the hollows that is.It was closer today, but she just stayed in that same spot and watched the sun set once more.

The night air was crisp and fresh it had always relaxed her when she ran back to her home. It was always the same she'd walk through the door and Yuzu would hug her and her dad would say something irritating or just plain stupid. Why he did this she could never figure out although she always got the strangest feeling it was all an act.  
After dinner she climbed outside of her bedroom window and watched the stars.

There was that feeling again, but it wasnt the same as usual. No it was defiantly different from the others. It was more menacing and more deadly but what was it. A part of her wanted to find out what it was but the other part of her told her to stay put. She chose to go see what it was.

She ran through the cool night to where the feeling originated from and feet away stood what looked like a shinigami dressed in white instead of black. At a closer look it looked to have half of a hollow mask on the side of it's face. 'What was this thing' she thought.The mysterious figure turned toward where she was and smiled.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist, silly human brat"It laughed.

Karin froze, it knew she was there she had to leave and fast. She had no time to run however because the attacker was in standing in front of her before she could move even her head. The figure grabbed the girl's shirt and pulled her off the ground, smiling as it did so.

'Help, please, help me' She thought instinctively. Why hadn't she have listen to her conscience and stayed home where she was at least safer than she was now. The figure laughed and brought out their zanpacu-to. "I think i'll have some fun before i kill you"

The figure dropped the girl and laughed. "Run little prey run as fast as your little legs will carry you"it spoke. Karin didn't hesitated to follow th orders as she sprung up and bolted off into the night. the figure smiled and whispered "Hunt down you prey Seishou-Ryoushi" the sword disintegrated into a black shadow and dispersed.

"Run little human, run for your very life"the figure stated before following the girl's trail.

* * *

he could feel that he was getting closer to where she was was, but he only hoped he would make it in time. He didnt want to fail to protect another person like he did when trying to save hinamori. He could remember it only to clearly.Not only would he blame himself for another failure he'd have to deal with the wrath of kurasaki ichigo if he found out he had failed to save his younger sister.

He didn't know what was worse Ichigo trying to kill him or fighting an espada with no sword. Either way he had to save Karin not only did the mission depend on it , his very life depended on it.

"Please let me be in time" He thought as he continued to run through the night.

* * *

She could feel it getting closer, it was as if it hunted the very fear she felt. She was already sweating and not all was from running away from the thing that hunted her. She could hear it getting closer it seemed to be only a mile behind her. She could only delay the inevitable. She turned her head to see how far it was from and lost her footing landing on the ground with a loud thud. She felt pain shoot through her ankle as it twisted the way it shouldnt have. By the time she had manged to try and get up the hunter was already there. Waiting to kill its win.

"Well it was fun while it lasted, but now i must say goodbye"A voice called out.

The shadow began to swirl around her until it took its physical form of a huge black wolf with yellow eyes that pierced right to her soul."Help!"Karin screamed as the wolf lunged forward. She unconsciously closed her eyes only to find she felt no pain. She heard a familiar voice and almost smiled if not fro her being scared she would have.

"Open you eyes, kurasaki"

She opened her brown eyes revealing the white-haired shinigami she had met only three months ago.. "I thought you"She was interrupted by the boy that had saved her."we can talk later just run"

"Eh about that I've busted my ankle" She replied as she glanced at the wolf who now had a blade in its mouth, trying to push it back.

"Why do you have to be such a gluts" He sighed and pushed harder against the blade."When I say now take cover"

"Hair"She replied.

"So now you want to play, well theres no room for you"the voice stated.

Toshiba's body tensed as the wolf pressed harder. "Now kurasaki!!" he yelled. Karin bolted behind a tree and watched in awe as Toshiro activated his Shikai."Sit upon the frozen heavens Hyorinmaru" A crystal like ice dragon appeared from the boy's zanpacu-to and shot toward the wolf only to have the wold disperse into the air and reappear somewhere else. 'Damn' Toshiro thought. He sent another dragon at the wolf only to have the same effect as the last attack.

He had only one choice and that was to destroy its wielder. "Show yourself!"Toshiro yelled into the darkness.There was a low laugh as the voice replied. "You sure are in a hurry to die arnt you, well i'll respect your wishes."

Toshiro looked around but before he had a chance to react he was punched in the stomach and sent flying into a nearby tree."Toshiro!!"karin cried out.The figure turned around and walked toward the girl when toshiro yelled. "NO leave her alone!"

He wouldn't let her die not now, he wouldnt fail again. The figure's sword reformed into its original stated a crimson katana. The figure raised the sword above Karin and brought it down. There was a loud clang as two swords met. Toshiro was holding Karin and blocking the sword with Hyorinmaru. Karin and Hitsugaya heard a crack making the figure smile. Hyorinmaru cracked causing the other sword to slip through its defenses. The blade came down on across Toshiro's shoulder and part of his shoulder blade. The Boy tried not to scream in pain as it dug deep into his skin sending sharp pain throughout his whole body. "Toshiro!"karin yelled.

The figure laughed only to start choking on something that was in the air it cut his skin like ribbons including the inside of his body.

"Growl heineko"a certain saki loving shinigami stated as heineko cut its opponent to ribbons only to have the person to escape into the darkness. Hitsugaya smiled slightly as his grip on Hyorinmaru slipped and he fell to the ground beside Karin.

"Taichou!!"matsumoto cried out as she ran over to the boy's side. Karin was trying to wake the boy up but he'd already lost too much blood.

"We have to get him to a safe place" Matsumoto stated.

"My dad owns a clinic we can go there he can help toshiro"Karin replied as Matsumoto picked the boy up and they ran to wards the clinic

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well thats it for now and theres plenty to come sorry for grammar and spelling errors.

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	2. Searching the answers

thank you for the wonderful reviews and thanks for bringing it to my attention that i have some grammar errors in my first chapter. II hope to go back a fix those soon. And i'll try make less mistakes. ja-ne

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_Searching the answers_

He'd almost failed to save the girl if not for Matsumoto she would be dead along with himself.The last thing he had remembered was pain shooting through his body. Like a thousand needles digging into his skin over and over. Then he saw Matsumoto activating her shikai and knowing that she had saved both of them he had fallen into a deep dreamless sleep.

It seemed as if he was suspended over an ocean of black water,there was nothing but darkness as he walked forward. Was he in the air? He looked below and stared into the onyx waters. It held an eerie feeling as he was pulled deeper into his own trance. He could see his failures wall into the water and sink into the cold emptiness then he fell. It seemed like an eternity as he fell to the quiet waters. He closed his eyes and just fell with no objections to what was happening.

The water was not cold nor was it warm or hot it was just there. He watched the surface rise higher as he sank lower into the emptiness. His teal eyes closed as he continued to fall into suspended time. It was calm but there was still pain not the kind he had felt when he was injured. No this was different, it was almost as if he was reliving that pain he felt when he looked upon Hinamori's face. Her calm face as she slept never awakening. It was the same pain he had felt when he found her laying on the cold floor covered in her own blood. He failed to protect her like he had done so one time before when he had fought Gin out of rage and anger. He had nearly killed her and Aizen had almost succeeded and could very well do so. Hinamori hadn't woken as she too slept eternally, but she wasn't dead. She would wake when someone called out to her. When they showed they needed her, when she had a purpose.

He realized he could not wake himself but it did not bother him. He just fell and rested as he thought of his life as he thought of the mistakes and the things he'd actually done right. Then a question came to his own mind. What was his purpose? Did he have one? Yamamoto had given him this mission and he almost failed it but was there more to it. It seemed as if he was searching himself as he tried to save Karin. But what was he searching for? What was this emptiness?

* * *

Karin gazed at the boy's peaceful face wondering when he would wake. She counted the time as he rested , but she didn't know why. What would she do when he wakes up? Would she question him? Or would she just agitate him by calling him an elementary student? She watched the boy's chest rise and fall slowly then sighed.

Matsumoto glanced behind the cracked door and smiled. She knew what Karin felt and what her captain also felt. They would never admit it but they hide feelings neither could explain just yet. She had that same feeling when she was around Gin before he left her to go to Hueno Muncho.

Life's questions were there to be answered before them they just had to search deep enough to find them. She knew that only too well, but she understood it and now it was their turn. To find their answers in life. She slipped away from the door and passed Isshin in the hallway. "Your an assistant captain are you not?"

The man had startled her for a second there as she turned toward him. "How do you know that?" She asked the man. He smiled slightly and glanced at the door.

"Your captain took quite a beating I suspect it was quite a battle. Anyways I never told this to my children not even Ichigo but I'm also a soul reaper. I never thought that I would see my own kids follow in my footsteps, but I guess they have." Isshin replied. "Thank you for saving my little girl. I'll take care of your captain so you should get some rest."

"Thank you"Matsumoto replied as she walked over to the small guest room and layed on the bed. She gazed out of the window and looked up at the stars eventually falling asleep.

Karin fought sleep as she watched the boy sleep but lost her own battle and slipped into the warming darkness. Isshin came in with a blanket and covered the girl then kissed her forehead. "Goodnight Karin" She stirred a bit but relaxed and fell into her own dreams.

* * *

He didnt know how long he'd been falling but he knew he could not escape the truth that lay beneath him. He slowly opened his eyes back to the watery surroundings He felt strangely cold now as the darkness brightened slowly. Small sparkles of light surrounded him as the came together into the shape of a great dragon. His eyes were a cold blue but they held undoupting wisdom. His boy was long and a silver like white with hints of blue. Long spikes adorned the dragons face and head along with parts of his body. He spread his wings as small drops of ice fell around Toshiro.

'Hyorinmaru?'

The dragon gazed at the youth and replied. 'Hello Toshiro san'

The boy gazed long into the dragon's eyes. They made him feel calm and relaxed as if there was nothing for him to worry about in the life he walked. "You know what you must do my young friend" The dragon spoke.

"What do you mean?" Toshiro asked. He didnt understand what the dragon had spoke about.and yet he did.

"Only you can find that out Toshiro Hitsugaya, only you can find the answers to this riddle"The dragon replied.Toshiro averted his gaze replied to the dragon. "Hyorinmaru, what is this feeling. I feel as if there's something going to happen that I wont be able to stop."

The dragon was silent for a second then lowered its head to Toshiro's eye level. "That's the riddle my friend. That's the thing you have to figure out on your own. It's something I cannot help you with. You have to do this on your own."

"Thank you Hyorinmaru, my friend"Toshiro replied as the dragon slowly disappeared form the boy's sight. The light dimmed back to the black darkness as the boy fell once more only this time he could leave the empty place. Where the answers could not be answered.

* * *

The autumn sun was bright as it pierced through the curtains that made an effort to block the light out. Toshiro stirred before he fully came to. He looked around at his surroundings his eyes squinted until they had fully adjusted to the light. There was an empty seat beside the bed he lay on the seat was a blanket. "Where am I" He muttered.

The door opened causing the boy to look over to whomever it was. Matsumoto was standing in the doorway smiling. She was relieved to see her young taichou awake. "It's good to have you back taichou"

"Matsumoto, where am I" Hitsugaya asked as he looked around once more.

" Kurasaki Ichigo's house, his dad owns a clinic so we brought you here"Matsumoto replied.

'Kurasaki's house' Hitsugaya thought then it hit him like a brick to the head "Is Kurasaki's sister safe"

Matsumoto smiled and nodded then asked. "Are you hungry Karin chan's sister can cook some really good food"

Toshiro remembered Orihime's cooking and asked "Is it anything like Inoue's cooking?"

"Nope although its not as good as her's"Matsumoto replied as she also remembered the girl's cooking that she missed so much.

Toshiro pulled the cover off of himself and sat up. His gigai was sore to the very bones but he ignored the pain and stood up. Matsumoto walked ahead of him as he went down to where the other's were.Karin and Yuzu were in the kitchen talking when the two walked in. "It's about time you woke up. Thanks for saving me though"Karin stated as she smiled.

" Try not to sprain your ankle next time"Toshiro replied.

"That wasn't my fault!"Karin replied defensively.

Matsumoto smiled as the two argued almost like Ichigo arguing with Rukia."Aw how cute Taichou like's Kurasaki's little sister" Matsumoto stated. Both Toshiro and Karin blushed as the white-haired shinigami replied "I do not like her!!Why would I like someone who's such a kluts"

"I am not a kluts!"Karin replied.

"Well you two argue like you like one another so assumed that you liked one another"Matsumoto added.

"I do not like her"Toshiro replied as the girl replied. "Why the heck would I like someone like him, he's to short-tempered"  
"Who said I was short tempered"Toshiro asked. Karin smiled as she backed away.

"Kurasaki!"

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It's a bit shorter than the last entry but I hope you like it.Please review.


	3. thoughts and games

sorry for the long haitus ..i hate it when my inspiration leaves my mind. Well here it is the third chapter to Fate of Heart.

-Enjoy-

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He looked up at the morning sky as dawn pushed the night away and day took its place. The wind blew softly as teal eyes stared off into the distance, unknown to what may lay ahead of them. 'What am i supposed to do Hyourinmaru?' he thought as the events of the past days resurfaced into his mind. He could still feel the dull pain the resonated from his wound.

He was so deep into his own thoughts that he barely noticed the light footsteps of someone running closer to him, or when they completely stopped. "I thought I'd find you here." A familiar voice stated as they walked over beside the boy. "Thanks for yesterday, I'd be dead if it wasn't for you and Matsumoto chan being there." There was a deafening silence that lasted for what seemed to be hours when only minutes had passed. Karin glanced at the white haired boy then looked back at the sunrise, her hair softly gliding around her on the wind that blew softly and calmly.

"I.." Hitsugaya paused as he thought of how to say what he was thinking at the moment. Karin tensed for a moment as the silence was broken then relaxed and looked the the boy. "I almost didn't make it." Another pause filled the area. Karin gave the boy a confused look, but said nothing hoping that he would continue and give her the meaning of what he spoke of. " I almost failed again." Karin sighed as she looked away and stared up at the leaves swaying with the wind.

"What do you mean, you saved me the other day" Karin replied and awaited an reply. The boy balled his hands into fists and slowly spoke. "If i was only a moment later you'd be dead, don't you get it.?" Karin looked back at the boy and rolled her eyes at him, if it weren't for the situation or that he was looking away from her she knew he would say something about it. "Well I'm still alive, i don't see a chain hooked on my chest or my body laying on the ground. Stop beating yourself up, or i may have to knock some sense into you myself." Toshiro relaxed knowing she'd keep telling him the opposite of what he thought, after all she was Kurosaki Ichigo's sister.

"Anyways i came to see if you wanted to join me and my teammates in a soccer game"Karin stated as the boy turned around and faced her. He looked at the black and white soccer ball and then flipped his phone open. 'No hollows, and there's been no reply to the report i sent' He thought as he closed his phone. Karin dribbled the ball up and down as she waited for the boy's answer. He sighed and looked back at the sky for a moment then replied calmly. "It beats going shopping with Matsumoto" he could just see the red-haired fuku-taichou dragging him into every store there was in sight, and he'd end up being her victim of carrying her bags. Karin bounced the soccer ball into her hands and then stated. "The game's at 12:00, don't be late" With that the girl ran off in the direction of the field even though there was still hours until the game would start.

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sorry for it being so short, the next chapter should be longer, more action and a fun game of soccer, along with a few answers to questions. ja-ne!!


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